What’s So Great About Being A Guy?

What’s not to love about being a guy? After all, it takes them less time to get ready in the morning, and they get shorter lines to the bathroom! But for every benefit guys have, new science shows there are some trade-offs, too. Here are the pros and cons about being a guy, starting with the bad stuff:

They’re more likely to be bullied – and not just on the playground in school. ER statistics show that men are the target of more crimes than women, and suffer more injuries from fights, knife wounds or worse!

Men also have poor impulse control. Psychiatrists say that thanks to their testosterone, men are more likely than women to be diagnosed with impulse control disorders – which can trigger anything from violent outbursts, to struggles with drug and alcohol abuse.

Guys have fewer close friends than women. Surveys show that when it comes to platonic friendships, most men prefer having women as friends. The problem is that most women also prefer having women as friends and experts say that leaves a lot of guys feeling shut out – especially when they want to talk to someone about something personal and emotional.

Men die younger. It turns out, the same hormone that makes us impulsive and competitive, also gives us a death sentence! Experts say it’s because when testosterone floods a man’s body, he’s more likely to take foolish risks. Testosterone pushes us to take more stressful and dangerous jobs than women do, and work longer hours, which helps explain why we’re more likely to drop dead from heart attacks!

So, are there any benefits to being born with a Y chromosome? Here are the advantages men have over women:

Men earn more money. Experts say women are catching up, but over a lifespan, men tend to earn at least 10 percent more than women. One reason is because men take more stressful and dangerous jobs than women do. Also, there’s still pay inequality – men get paid more for doing the same work as women. In fact, in every US state, men out-earn women.

Guys are better able to defend themselves. On average, a man’s upper body strength is almost twice as strong as a woman’s. That helps explain why statistics show that men are far less likely to be victims of physical assault.

They get more attractive as they get older. According to a new Duke University study, women tend to be judged as “less good looking” the older they get, while men are judged “more good looking.” In fact, researchers say it’s the complete opposite of when they’re younger. Because at age 20, girls are more likely than boys to attract a spouse and get married, but after age 50, men are more likely than women to marry.

Men are also less likely to be depressed than women. Statistics show that women suffer twice as many cases of major depression as men. Psychologists say one reason is that women are more sensitive to other people’s opinions, which sets them up for feeling more stress and anxiety. Men generally don’t dwell on what other people think of them.